Day 13: Margaret of Cortona

Saint Margaret was raised in a poor family in Tuscany. Following the death of her mother when Margaret was just eleven, a new stepmother turned her out of the house.

Third Order Franciscan(1247–1297)

Saint Margaret was raised in a poor family in Tuscany. Following the death of her mother when Margaret was just eleven, a new stepmother turned her out of the house. Eventually, with few apparent options, she eloped with a young nobleman, who kept her as his mistress. Though she bore him a son, he would not marry her.

When he was eventually murdered, Margaret took this as a sign of God’s judgment on her life. Penniless, she returned to her father’s house, but he would not take her in. Now homeless as well as destitute, she made her way to Cortona, where she had heard of the compassion of the Franciscan friars. She introduced herself by walking through town with a rope around her neck, a sign of her penitence.

The friars quickly urged her to quit this spectacle and also curbed her proclivity for extremes of asceticism. Eventually she was accepted as a Franciscan tertiary. With other women she formed a nursing community, caring for the sick and the poor.

Nevertheless, stories of her former life continued to generate gossip. She observed, “I see more Pharisees among Christians than surrounded Pilate.” Over time, as reports spread of her holiness and her purported miracles, as well as her private colloquies with Christ, Margaret attracted more positive attention. The Franciscans urged her to embark on a public crusade to call sinners to conversion.

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Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix Mission of the Felician Sisters
As Felician Franciscan Sisters, called by God, we cooperate with Christ
in the spiritual renewal of the world.
The Charism of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Felix of Cantalice
is to imitate Blessed Mary Angela’s boundless love of God and surrender
to God’s Will in compassionate service, total availability, concern for the
salvation of all people.
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PRAYER IN HONOR OF BLESSED MARY ANGELA TRUSZKOWSKA

God, our Father, you graced Blessed Mary Angela with a living faith and boundless love which she manifested in complete surrender to your divine will. By her prayers and witness may we strive to seek, to accept, and to fulfill your will in all circumstances of our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship